Aerial banner



Henry H. lP/charoson H. H. RICHARDSON- AERIAL BANNER Original Filed Jan. 4, 1934 Sept. 21, 1937.

wi W I 1 J I Patented Sept. 21, 1937 AERIAL. BANNER. Henry Richardson, Louisville,fKyf

-Original application January 4, .1934, Serial H 705,198. Divided and this application ber 18, 1935, Serial No. 55,008

Claims. (01. id-127)" This invention relates to anew and improved type of aerial banner especially adapted for use in aerial advertising of that type in which a banner is towed by means of air-craft. How- 5 ever, as the description proceeds and the constructional features of the invention are noted,

it will become apparent that theginvention isadapted. for use in. any situation in which a relative movement between a banner and the surrounding air takes place.

The widespread use of banners towed by aircraft for conducting aerial advertising exhibitions has given rise to numerous variations in methods and. apparatus for towing the same, size of banners employed and constructional features of individual banners. For example, these banners have been exhibited in a horizontal plane, a vertical plane or in some intermediate plane. For holding the banner in the dethe like have been developed. The banners themselves have assumed different forms varying from single strips of free flying cloth to complex structures having interchangeable panels with means to increase or decrease the size of banner and to revise its advertising matter.

In all of these, known constructions certain problems have been recognized among which are the necessity for stabilizing the flight of the banner regardless of the planelin which it is flown, reducing the weight of the exhibit to a reasonable value and relieving the banner fabric of the strain due to the pull of the towing agent. Due to the large size of aerial banners, the speed at which they are towed, the exposure to weather conditions, and the general rough treatment which they suffer, the useful life of the same has been relatively short. In some instances these banners have broken apart in the air and not only has the value of the exhibit been lost but also dangerous conditions have resulted. This invention discloses certain fea-. tures of vconstruction which are directed toward a safer; more, reliable and more distinctive type of banner and which may be employed in any of the known types of banners. It. hasas one of its objects the provision of a banner which can be flown in a. substantially constant planewithout undue whipping or stress. I

.Anothenobjectis, the provision of reinforcing meansfor the banner material to relieve such material from excessive strain. a H Another object is the teaching; of a special; arrangement' of stabilizing; members. f insuring stabilized flight.

sired plane, various types of kites, bridles and;

Decem Another object is.v the provision of a banner construction which islight in weight, but which is .relativelyrigid in flight and adapted to .be easily collapsed for storage or otherpurposes.

,A further object is the teaching of a removable paint which can be used inconnection with the collapsiblefbanner.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentwhen considered in connection with the accompanying. drawing in which Figure 1 is adiagrammatic view showing one form of banner in which the invention may be embodied and illustrating one arrangement. of stabilizing members. p

. Figure Z is a view showing a banner in greater detail and illustrating another arrangement 'of stabilizing members.

Figure 31s a sectional view of Figure 2. V H

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.. i

Figure 5 is an elevation showing the end of a pocket closed by a special fastening means.

Figure 6 isa sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a View of a modified pocket construction.

The diagrammatic illustration in Figure 1 depicts a banner I embodying the features of construction more specifically disclosed hereinafter. Such a. banner may be towed in any. desired plane by means of a conventional bridle 2 connected to a towing agent and may bear any suitable advertising matterupon thebanner surface. At the head of the banner a tube 3 is taken on line 3-3 located and to this tube the bridle and the banner are fastened inany desired manner. The precise means of fastening the banner to the tube, the loading of the tube and the bridle constructionemployed will depend upon the plane in which the banner is to be towed, the size of banner and similar factors and as such form no-partof thepresent invention.

In all types Q of banners, however, stabilizing means mustbel provided to reduce the twisting, whipping and straining of, the banner material which occurs as the banner is towed through the air at high speeds. Various means including wind cones, kites, open frameworks for the banner and the likehave been employed heretofore for this Ipurpose. .,.The chief disadvantages of these means have been the added weight, the additional. stress imposed on the banner mate-- rial: and the additional cost. :In. contrast with these means, this invention teaches the use of light stabilizing members insertable in pockets built integral with the banner fabric at certain intervals along the banner and accomplishing the same result as these prior unwieldy means.

The number of stabilizing members and the interval between adjacent stabilizing members depends primarily upon the size of the banner and upon the speed at which it is towed. In general, it is found that the best practical operation results when the stabilizing members are formed in groups with the interval between adjacent members of consecutive groups increasing from the head of the banner toward the tail of such banner. It is obvious that the precise location of such groups of stabilizing members will vary in different applications and it is to be expressly understood that any illustrative examples set forth in this disclosure are not intended to limit this invention to those precise examples.

In Figure 1, illustrating a banner being towed in a vertical plane, three series of stabilizing members are employed. The members 4 near the head of the banner are relatively close together, the members 5 are further apart and. the members 6 are still further apart. The banner in this illustration terminates in a free-flying tail 1 which flies in a substantially straight plane due to the effect of the stabilizing members ahead of the tail. As one example of the application of this principle, if the banner in Figure 1 is assumed to be 105 feet long, there would be two members 4 spaced at 5 and 10 feet from tube 3, four members 5 spaced at 20, 30, 40 and 50 feet from the tube 3, two members 6 spaced at 65 and feet from tube 3 and a free-flying tail 1 which would be 25 feet long.

Figure 2 illustrates in detail the constructional features of the banner and depicts a banner per se which is well adapted for horizontal flight preferably in connection with a kite. In this banner a series of stabilizing members indicated generally at 14 and a series of members l5 are employed. The banner terminates in a freefiying false tail, reinforced as described hereinafter and having an optional fringe I! for the purpose of absorbing any whipping action at the extreme tail of the banner. As one example, if the banner in Figure 2 is assumed to be 55 feet long, there would be three members 14 located at 3 7 and 10 feet from tube 22, three members l5 located at 21, 31 and 42 feet from tube 22 and a free-flying tail 13 feet long.

In Figure 2 the banner is formed of any suitable flexible material such as cheesecloth or the like wh ch is relatively light and strong and which will provide a good background for the advertising matter placed upon'its surface. In order that any one banner may be used on numerous occasions for advertising different products, it follows that the advertising matter must be removable and that the banner must be adapted to the removal of such advertising matter. This invention discloses a new type of paint well adapted for this particular purpose and composed of drop-black (Frankfort black), condensed milk and water, all mixed in the proper proportion. Such a paint sets out the advertising matter in a clear and distinctive manner, is relatively inexpensive in cost, will not blur in damp or rainy weather and yet can be easily removed by the usual laundering D Due to the features of construct on of is banner whereby the rigid stabilizing means n be easily removed, the banner can be collap e Washed and later repainted with a minimum of effort. Such practice would be impossible with the banners of certain prior types wherein stabilizing means are fastened to the banner by nails, glue, bolts or the like.

As shown in Figure 2, the banner comprises one or more elongated strips of fabric 20 to which is securely sewed a number of longitudinally extending flexible tapes 2| having a high tensile strength. At the head of the banner the fabric and tapes are stretched over a cylindrical tube 22 having holes 23 therein adapted to contain any suitable means for fastening tube 22 to a kite, bridle or other intermediate means connected to a towing agent.

Spaced along the banner is a plurality of transverse pockets 26 formed integral with the banner fabric and varying in number and location with the size of banner, speed of towing and similar factors. As shown, the present banner comprises a single ply of material, but it is obvious that a plurality of plies may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

In Figure 6 the integral pocket 26 is shown as being formed by doubling the banner fabric 20 back upon itself, carrying it forward once more and doubling it back again thus forming a pocket 26 having two plies of material on one side and three plies upon the other side. Such a pocket is then secured by stitching the upper and lower edges of the doubled material together transversely of the banner. The reinforcing tapes 6| are likewise folded and stitched so that when completed the pocket forms a snug recess exerting no stress or strain upon any intermediate portion of the banner fabric such as indicated at 30.

It is at once obvious that such a pocket may be formed with a diiferent thickness of material on its sides by means of more or less folding of the fabric or by means of a separate piece of material attached to the banner fabric at the point where such a pocket is to be located. In Figure 7 such an optional form is depicted wherein a pocket 21 is formed with a double ply on one side and a single ply on the other.

' Preferably these pockets 26 are closed along one edge of the banner by sewing the sides of such pockets together. ing members 35 are to be inserted in the pockets some means for readily opening and closing the other ends of the pockets is required. One such means is depicted herewith and comprises a conventional glove fastener best shown in Figures 4 and 5. Such a fastener comprises a male portion 28 securely attached to one fold of the fabric forming the pocket and a female portion 29 securely fastened to the other fold of the fabric. Obviously, these fasteners may be eliminated and the open end of the pockets may be sewed together after the members 35 are inserted should such a practice be desired.

Adapted for insertion into pockets 26 are a number of light stabilizing members 35 made of any light, strong substance such as bamboo. These members are easily insertable and freely removable and while in pockets 26 rest therein independently of the banner itself. The presence of these members gives a stability to the banner in flight and dampen out the waving and oscillation tendency of the fabric. Due to this fact the flexible banner while in flight gives the appearance of a semi-rigid structure and displays its advertising message in the best manner. Since Since removable stabiliz- 2,093,647 the stabilizing members are located at the head and middle of the banner the free flying tailis influenced by the stable flight of that part of the banner and tends to fly in a substantially straight plane.

lhe longitudinally extending reinforcing tapes 2| are securely sewed to the banner fabric and take up the stress incident to the action of the I towing means and the inertia reaction due to the presence of members 35 in pockets 26 and the resistance of the air against the banner. This stress on tapes 2| which are fastened around the tube 22 relieves the intermediate, relatively that the weaker portions of the banner from undue strain same.

and materially prolongs the useful life of the An optional form of tail for an aerial banner is shown in Figure 2 wherein a false tail is sewed on the free flying tail portion of the banner proper. Such a construction would find its greatest use at times when a banner was subjected to excessive whipping and as shown embodies a tall 16 sewed to the banner by means of a strong double stitch 32. At the end of such a tail IS a application, Serial No. 705,198, filed Jan. 4, 1934 wherein the banner is shown in conjunction with otherapparatus forming a complete aerial dis play.

I claim;

1. In combination, an elongated aerial banner formed of flexible material, a rigid rod providing an attachment for the head of said banner, a plurality of reinforcing tapes attached at one end to said rod and secured longitudinally of the banner material, a plurality of reinforced pockets formed integral with the banner by folding the banner material and tapes and by sewing the folds transversely of the banner and means contained in said pockets adapted to receive and balance stresses imposed upon the reinforcing tapes during flight of the banner whereby nonreinforced portions of the banner material are relieved from excessive strain.

2. In combination, an elongated aerial banner I of flexible material adapted to be towed at high speeds by an aerial towing agent and subject to resulting high stresses and waving motions, a rigid rod providing an attachment for the head end of said banner, a plurality of flexible reinforcing tapes attached at one end to the rod and secured to the banner material longitudinally thereof, a plurality of series of reinforced pockets formed integrally with the banner by folding the banner material and attached tapes and by sewing the folds transverselyof the banner, the series of pockets nearer the head end of the banner having individual pockets relatively close together and the series of pockets further from the head end-of the banner having individual pockets relatively far apart, and means contained in said pockets adapted to receive and balance stresses imposed upon the reinforcing tapes during flight of the banner whereby non-reinforced portions of the banner material are relieved from excessive strain and the waving motion of the elongated banner is diminished.

3. A banner adapted to be towed at high speeds by an aerial towing agent and subject to resulting high stresses and waving motion comprising, an elongated integral sheet of flexible material secured at the forward end to a transverse rigid rod, a plurality of longitudinally extending flexible reinforcing means secured to the surface of the sheet and to the rod in order to absorb stresses and to relieve intermediate sectionsof the sheet from strain, integral reinforcing pockets formed transversely of the sheet by folding and sewing the integral sheet and the flexible reinforcing means and stabilizing means resting within said pockets whereby the stabilizing means may influence the flight of said banner and may form a support upon which the reinforcing means may exert their stresses.

4. In combination, an elongated aerial banner of flexible material adapted to be towed by a single towingconnection, a rigid rod connected to the towing connection and providing an attachment for the head end of said banner, a plurality of flexible reinforcing tapes attached at one end to the rod and secured longitudinally of the banner material, a plurality of series of reinforced pockets formed integral with the banner by folding the banner material and tapes and by sewing the folds transversely of the banner, the series of pockets nearer the head end of the banner having individual pockets relatively close together and the series of pocketsfurther from the head end of the banner having individual pockets relatively far apart with the rearmost pocket being spaced a substantial distance from the end of said banner in order to provide a free-flying tail, and means contained in said pockets and adapted to receive .and balance stresses imposed upon the reinforcing tapes during flight of the banner whereby non-reinforced portions of the banner material are relieved from excessive strain and the waving motion of the elongated banner is diminished.

5. In an aerial banner, an elongated sheet of light flexible material, elongated flexible reinforcing tapes sewed to the banner adjacent the longitudinal edges and the central portions of the sheet, a rigid rod at the head of the banner,

means anchoring the sheet and attached tapes to the rod, a plurality of spaced pockets formed integrally in the banner by folding and sewing the sheet and tapes transversely of the banner and removable supports insertable in said pockets and providing a support upon which the reinforcing tapes may exert the stresses incident to operation of the banner and thereby relieve the intermediate portions of the sheet from strain. HENRY H. RICHARDSON. 

